Improving Child Growth and Nutrition: Lessons from Rigorous Evidence
Stunting, or being too short for one’s age, is a warning signal that a child is at risk of failing to reach their full physical and developmental potential. Stunting is caused by poor nutrition during pregnancy, inadequate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, and repeated infections. Stunting has been associated with impaired brain development, poor school achievement and progress, reduced earnings in adulthood, and a higher probability of living in poverty. Stunted children are also at an increased risk of morbidity and childhood mortality from infectious diseases. In this brief, Innovations for Poverty Action’s Path-to-Scale Research team has compiled evidence from interventions to improve child growth and nutritional status in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).